KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia, represented by 215 athletes, will be the fourth biggest contingent at the 10th ASEAN Para Games Philippines in January, next year.
A statement issued by the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) said a total of 1,533 athletes and 829 officials from 11 contingents have been confirmed for the ASEAN Para Games Philippines 2020, making it the biggest Games in its 19-year history.
"The total of 1,533 athletes registered for the Philippine Games 2020 surpassed the number of athletes (1,452) who participated in the last Games in Kuala Lumpur in 2017. All 11 member countries have confirmed their entries in the 2020 regional Para Games which will see 16 sports contested while Para Obstacle Course has been added in as a demonstration sport," it said.
Thailand form the biggest number with 317 athletes and 188 officials registered in their contingent while the reigning champion, Indonesia is sending the Games’ second-biggest contingent of 306 athletes.
The host country will parade the third-largest contingent with 274 athletes and 78 officials.
Vietnam will be represented by 109 athletes followed by Myanmar (108), Cambodia (76), Singapore (61) Laos (31), Brunei (26) while Timor Leste will be sending the smallest contingent of 10 athletes.
The sports lined up for Philippines 2020 include archery, para athletics, badminton, boccia, chess, cycling, CP football, goalball, judo, para powerlifting, para-swimming, tenpin bowling, table tennis, para triathlon, sitting-volleyball and wheelchair basketball.
Para athletics form the biggest number of participants with 316 athletes followed by para swimming (196), table tennis (144), tenpin bowling (104), wheelchair basketball (97), badminton (96), chess (85), para powerlifting (83), goalball (82), CP football (78), sitting-volleyball (79), archery (54), boccia (51), para-cycling (30), judo (28) and para triathlon (20).
The Games will be held in three clusters, namely New Clark City, Subic and Manila from Jan 18 to 24.
The 2020 ASEAN Para Games is considered an important platform for athletes as the Games will form part of the qualification process for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Source: BERNAMA